Troops Arrest Eight Terrorists Linked to Gamboru Market Mosque Suicide Bombing

• COAS: inadequate training undermines operational effectiveness

•Army to deploy more troops to Niger, other states to crush terrorist attacks

Laleye Dipo in Minna and Linus Aleke in Abuja

The military has announced that troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) arrested eight suspected terrorists in connection with the suicide bombing at the Gamboru market mosque in Adamawa State that killed several people and many on Christmas eve.

The attack was believed to have been carried by Boko Haram terrorists suicide  who detonated an improvised explosive device.

Among those apprehended, the military said, were two key suspects believed to be major facilitators within the network that planned and executed the attack.

Defence Headquarters said the arrest sfollowed weeks of sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance on identified locations linked to the terror cell.

In a statement, yesterday, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed that the suspects were captured during a coordinated cordon-and-search operation carried out in the Yan Lemo area of Mubi South Local Government Area in the early hours of January 5, 2026.

According to Uba, a search of the suspects’ residence led to the recovery of several items, including cash, mobile phones, identification documents, ATM cards, jewellery, and other personal belongings.

He stated that the recovered items were currently undergoing forensic examination to aid ongoing investigations.

Uba further revealed that during identification procedures, a suspect already in custody positively identified the two principal suspects as the individuals, who supplied materials used in the construction of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) deployed in the mosque attack.

Other occupants of the residence were also found to have direct links to the terrorist network.

“All the suspects are presently in military custody, where they are undergoing detailed interrogation to enable further intelligence extraction before being handed over for continued investigation,” the statement said.

In a related operation, OPHK troops intercepted a large number of suspected terrorist logistics in Mayo Nguli, Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

During the operation, troops seized 45 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), amounting to about 1,125 litres, believed to have been illegally transported for terrorist activities.

The statement added that the suspected suppliers fled the scene on sighting the troops, abandoning the petroleum products, which have since been secured and taken into military custody.

No casualties were recorded during the operation.

The military said the successful operations under-scored OPHK’s continued determination to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt their logistics and supply chains, and prevent future attacks in the North-east.

It called on members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to cooperate with security agencies, stressing that public support is vital to sustaining peace and security across the region.

COAS: Inadequate Training Undermines Operational Effectiveness

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, warned that failure to adequately and realistically train officers and soldiers for their assigned missions would inevitably undermine operational effectiveness.

Shaibu stressed that the evolving and increasingly complex security environment demanded an army that was professional, adaptable, combat-ready, and resilient.

Declaring open the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Conference 2026, the army chief reiterated that realistic and mission-oriented training were critical to achieving superior operational outcomes across all theatres of operation.

Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the conference was designed to foster robust and forward-looking deliberations on aligning training, doctrine and operational concepts in response to contemporary and emerging security challenges.

The COAS stated that Army Headquar-ters also remained focused on sound policy formulation and mission-specific, holistic training in line with his Command Philosophy.

He charged commandants and leaders of training institutions to internalise the philosophy and translate it into practical outcomes by producing combat-ready, resilient and adaptable troops capable of operating effectively within joint and multi-agency environments.

He further observed that the theme of the conference, “Enhancing Nigerian Army Operational Outcomes Through Effective Training and Doctrine Implementation,” was both apt and timely, stressing that doctrine must continue to guide training, planning and the execution of operations across all formations.

Shaibu urged participants to relate conference presentations to real operational experiences, with a view to improving the army’s capacity to counter terrorism, insurgency and other contemporary security threats.

The army chief placed particular emphasis on Exercise MUGUN BUGU, describing it as the hallmark of Nigerian Army training activities.

He stated that the exercise was central to validating doctrinal principles and assessing operational readiness, while calling for greater realism in training scenarios.

This, he added, included the integration of IED threats, EOD procedures and the expanded use of simulators to enhance proficiency and cost-effectiveness.

While acknowledging the sacrifices of Nigerian Army personnel in safeguarding national security, the COAS reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening fighting power, improving welfare and administration, and providing purposeful leadership to confront all threats to the peace and security of the nation.

He also commended past Commanders of the Training and Doctrine Command, retired senior officers, and the incumbent TRADOC leadership for their contributions to the development of the Nigerian Army.

Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Nigerian Army, Major-General Peter Malla, described the conference as a critical intellectual platform for setting the tone for Nigerian Army training activities in 2026.

Malla stated that the conference underscored the army’s unwavering commitment to doctrine-driven, realistic and mission-focused training as the foundation for operational effectiveness, particularly in an increasingly complex and adaptive security environment.

Malla emphasised that Nigeria’s prolonged engagements in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and other internal security operations had consistently highlighted the vital link between sound doctrine, effective training and operational success.